MLP No Apologies: Ch. 6

No Apologies

Chapter Six: One Day

Rainbow Dash laid awake in her cloud bed. The morning had already arrived, but she made no move to get up. She was too busy thinking about what had transpired the day before, and all of the new thoughts and feelings that came with it.

To put it simply, she was very much interested at the prospect of being in a relationship with Applejack, as she had been for quite some time now. The thing was . . . she wasn't really sure why. It was difficult for her to really comprehend what it was she was feeling, and any attempt to try and analyze it usually ended with her just giving up due to frustration.

Dash had crushes on other ponies before, but they were light and fleeting. True, she never really hovered around to see if any of them would develop, but that was beside the point. Applejack, however, was somehow different. Over the past year, she had actually come back to revisit the possibility of being in love more than once, and more than just a day or two. The earth pony just had some sort of effect on her; something stimulating that was difficult to place and even more challenging to dive into.

So, why did she tell Applejack that she shared her feelings, if she wasn't sure about it herself? That was actually a good question, and Dash was now trying to come up with an answer. What did she feel for that orange mare? She was sure it was love, but . . . what did that even mean?

That day before, starring at Applejack in the rain, it was something she had never seen before. The earth pony rarely, if ever, screamed at anypony unless she was really upset, and her appearance only accentuated how much she wasn't like herself. Drenched in rain, mane and tail soaked and flapping in the wind, the look of fear in her eyes, her whole body shaking. Her iconic hat had been missing, too, which only made her look even more vulnerable.

Rainbow felt something for Applejack, that much was certain. Thoughts about her had permeated the pegasus' mind and that would always cause her heart to skip a beat. Without a doubt, there was something. It was there every time she talked to her, it was why she loved to race and challenge her, and it was why she always loved to hang out with her. So, why not take it to the next level?

It seemed like the most logical thing to Dash, because that was what you were supposed to do, right? Sure, Applejack was another mare, but that didn't really mean anything different, did it? Rainbow had known she had preferred the company of fillies for years now, so Applejack has to be the same way. All that was needed now was to meet up with her and talk things over. A little awkward, sure, but nothing that couldn't be easily overcome with a discussion.

Yeah, that's what she'll do: have a nice talk with Applejack about it, and that will be that! Easy, right? The pegasus made the effort to get out of bed and strolled along to the outside of her home. The morning breeze sent a cool rush of energy down her spine, and she could already feel her adrenaline levels pick up a bit as she spread her wings, and took off for Sweet Apple Acres.

******

Applejack strived to get her morning chores out of the way. She had already taken a huge chunk out of the remaining apple trees that needed to be applebucked, and she was quite confident that she could finish tomorrow, if not today. As she dumped another cart-ful of apples into the large barrels, she quickly turned around and made her way back to the apple trees with vigor.

She couldn't believe it. She just couldn't believe it. Surely yesterday was a dream, right? It sure seemed that way, because everything around Applejack seemed to be surreal in a way, as if she was walking around in yet another one of her many dreams that starred her and the rainbow-maned pegasus. Thoughts whirled around so fast in the farmer's head it almost made her dizzy.

She felt so incredibly happy at Dash's response to her confession the day before. Applejack thought for sure that Rainbow would have either simply flown away, or worse, been angry or disgusted with her. The fact that the pegasus actually reciprocated her feelings made part of her feel on top of the world. Could it even be possible to make something out of this; to take it to the next level?

Of course, a part of her was still extremely nervous about the whole thing, even more so than before. Nopony, absolutely nopony knew about her liking other mares . . . other than Dash now, obviously. None of her other friends knew, and certainly not her family members! The last thing she wanted was for them to find out. Who knows what they would say? Should she even try to take it to the next level, if it meant risking their relationship being discovered?

This sort of give-and-take continued on for most of the time she spent going back and forth between the apple trees and the barrels. Hearing a rushing sound brought her to looking at the sky and spying just the pegasus she was thinking of. Even though she was very much confused and nervous, Applejack just couldn't help but smile as Dash careened down to greet her.

"Hey, Applejack!" she said happily.

"Howdy, Dash!" Applejack responded in kind.

"I believe I promised you we could hang out today and . . . talk?"

The emphasis on 'talk' made Applejack blush a little and her ears and tail twitched. She quickly looked around to see if anypony else was there. There wasn't. She no longer cared if she blushed if front of Dash, but she knew what the 'talk' was about and she didn't need Big Macintosh or Apple Bloom being made aware of it.

"Heh, yeah," Applejack replied a little sheepishly. "I reckon ya did."

Rainbow smiled. "Well, then where do ya wanna go?"

"Well, I need to finish my mornin' harvest first."

"How much more you need to do?"

The farmer thought for a bit. "Well, I reckon if I set aside the rest for tomorrow, I only need to take care of a few more today."

"Aw, hay, why not just get them all done today?"

Applejack raised an eyebrow. "That might take most of today, Dash."

Dash grinned slyly. "Not when you have the greatest flyer in all of Equestria helping you!"

"Aw, y'all don't have to do that, Dash. I'm perfectly capable of doin' it myself."

"You need to get the work done, I want it done, and we both want to hang out. You do want to 'talk,' don't you?"

The earth pony's ears pressed back as her blush returned. "Um . . . maybe."

"Then let me help you for once!"

Applejack's stubbornness wanted her to maintain that she could finish harvesting without Dash's help . . . but the thought of doing so with the pegasus, not to mention the idea of hanging out with her afterwards, eventually won out.

The orange mare gave Rainbow an uneasy look before bringing it back to a smile. "Alright, Dash. If y'all wanna help out, I'll accept it."

"Great! Let's do this!"

The two ponies went back to work harvesting apples, creating a quick and easy system. Applejack would buck the trees and cause the apples to fall down into baskets. Rainbow Dash would then take the baskets and fly back to the barrels to empty them. Repeating this simple operation, they actually managed to get almost every tree to part with its fruit in a few hours.

After bucking the last tree free of apples, Applejack elated a joyous, "Yeehaw! We're done!"

"That's the last of them?" Dash asked.

"Sure is! We're finished with 'em 'til next season!"

"Sweet," the pegasus said happily, raising a hoof to wipe off some sweat from her forehead. "Phew, that was a great workout!"

Applejack laughed. "Sure was! Thanks, Dash," she added, a very light blush appearing. "I appreciate the help."

"No prob, Applejack," Rainbow said as they made their way back to the collection barrels. "It was fun to help, and now we get to hang out that much sooner."

"Heh, I reckon y'all wanna have lunch or somethin' at the café?"

"Sure, that'll work!"

As Applejack dumped the last bushel of apples and about to make her way to find Big Macintosh to let him know where she'll be, Granny Smith came out of the farmhouse on her walker. The elderly pale-lime earth pony walked feebly toward her, her step a little wobbly but nonetheless direct.

"Mornin', Granny!" Applejack greeted. "What brings ya out here?"

"I was jus' lookin' for ya," she replied softly with a smile. "I was wonderin' if y'all could do me a favor at the market?"

"Of course I can. Dash and I were plannin' on havin' lunch over there and hangin' out, anyway."

"Thank ya, dear. All I want is for y'all to place an advanced order on both cakes for Apple Bloom's birthday."

"Two cakes?" Dash asked.

"The Apple Family reunion is happenin' soon," Applejack answered, "but not for a few more weeks, when they will all have completed their own Applebuck Season this year. Apple Bloom's birthday is in a few days, so we're gonna hold a small party then, and have a huge, proper celebration when the rest of the family arrives."

"Is everypony coming to the reunion?"

Applejack nodded. She turned back to Granny Smith. "Alright, I'll be sure to get that done. I jus' need to let Big Macintosh know where I'll be for the next few hours."

Her grandmother smiled. "I'll let him know, y'all can go with your friend."

"Okay, thanks, Granny. I'll be back before dinner."

With a small nod, Granny Smith made her way back into the farmhouse. Applejack turned her attention back to Dash. "Ya fine with me placin' the order with Pinkie Pie first?"

"Sure, that's cool. We can have lunch afterwards. I'm just glad that we can hang out today."

The farmer gave her a shy smile, something she couldn't help now that even something as simple as 'hanging out' suddenly had more to it.

"Aw, don't worry about it, Applejack," Dash said, picking up on her expression. "I don't want this to feel weird or anything."

The orange mare blushed a little, already feeling the opposite. "Well . . . that's a little hard to accomplish, ain't it?"

"Not if you start off light! I know! How about we have a race?"

"A race?" Applejack repeated raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah. You need to see Pinkie Pie, so why don't we race to Sugarcube Corner, and then have lunch at the café afterwards?"

Applejack, truthfully, actually wasn't expecting something so . . . normal from the pegasus. It was becoming pretty clear that the whole possibility of being in a relationship with Dash had gone straight to her head and was messing around in it. Once she thought about it, though, it suddenly turned into a great idea. What better way to calm her nerves—or at least try—than to do their favorite pastime?

"Alright, Dash!" she said happily. "Sounds like a fun time!"

The pegasus grinned. "Now there's the Applejack I know! Okay, get ready!"

The two friends took positions on each other's sides. They lowered themselves to the ground a little, ready to start sprinting. Applejack pulled down her hat so it would remain tight on her head. Making last minute mental braces and counting down, they took off running!

Rushing out of Sweet Apple Acres and barreling down the road towards Ponyville, the two ponies started out neck-and-neck. Their hooves kicked up the dirt from the road and a trail of dust sprayed behind them. The warm sun shined down on them, and the wind was just starting to become ever so chilled due to late-Autumn being just around the corner. Wide awake and invigorated, manes and tails flying in the wind, they sped onwards.

As they entered Ponyville, the two friends quickly began to duck and weave in and out of the crowd. While most of the ponies moved out of the way for them, not everypony was quick enough. Much to Dash's chagrin, Applejack was able to serpentine more efficiently due to her being an earth pony, and therefore, much more adapt at running. The pegasus being more suited for flying, she willed herself to run faster, especially after a few close calls of running into something and losing ground.

Eventually, Dash managed to catch up to her opponent. As she tried to speed ahead, a pony accidentally stepped in front her. Just in the nick of time, the pegasus spread her wings and jumped, her feathers catching an updraft and lifting her up and over the now-startled bystander.

Now well behind Dash thanks to her stunt, Applejack shouted, "Hey! I thought we agreed y'all would never use your wings to race!"

Dash looked back over her shoulder with a sly grin, "Guess you'll just have to accept it, Apple—"

Not seeing where she was going, the pegasus whammed headfirst into a food cart that was in her path. She pulled away from it looking dazed and confused as Applejack zipped past her.

The earth pony gave a roaring laugh. "Never mind, Dash, I guess we're even!" she called.

Dash quickly snapped herself out of her daze, gave a snort of irritation and spurred onwards. She had lost a lot of ground, but she was determined to make it up. Galloping as fast as she could, she very slowly began to advance once again on the orange mare.

Applejack quickly looked over her shoulder and saw that her competition was gaining on her. The farmer willed her legs to gallop faster as she raced onward. It wasn't long before the pegasus managed to pull herself alongside her, and then that really caused Applejack to work herself harder.

Both mares sped towards Sugarcube Corner, which was now in their sights. Nopony was going to give up, nopony was going to lose, nopony wasn't giving it her all. Passerby, shops and signs all whirred by in a flurry of color, the wind whistling in their ears and their manes and tails whipping chaotically. Applejack's hat threatened to fly off because of how fast they were racing.

Within seconds they were almost at Sugarcube Corner. An innocent pony happened to open the door and saw that two crazy ponies were galloping right at her. Appropriately, she screamed and promptly dived out of the way just in time. In a final flurry the two racers barreled into the confectionary and, without missing a beat, began racing again, with words.

"I won!" Dash shouted.

"Yeah, right, I did!" Applejack retorted.

"No, I did!"

"Did not!"

"Did so!"

"Did not!"

They tried to stare each other down . . . but that wasn't about to get them anywhere, either. It also took them a few seconds to remember that they weren't the only two ponies in the shop. A quick glance revealed about five or so customers staring at them holding various pastries. At the counter, they noticed that Fluttershy was there; Pinkie Pie behind the counter and frozen in the middle of placing a cupcake in a bag.

Pinkie snapped back to normal instantly. "Oh, wow, that was an awesome race, you guys! You tied, by the way."

Both Dash and Applejack stood there with a shocked look on their faces . . . and then simply sat down, open-mouthed, panting and speechless. As usual, Pinkie Pie's nonchalance at pointing things out she ordinarily wouldn't have known reined through. It was doubtful she had even been looking up at the moment they had entered the shop. Then again, Pinkie was in a class all her own.

Dash found her voice first, "We tied again?"

Applejack was still trying to catch her breath. "That's not possible."

Pinkie Pie giggled. "Sure looked like you did, though."

"And how would you know?" Dash asked.

The pink pony shrugged. "I just know these things."

"Uh-huh," Dash dead-panned. "You saw who won, Fluttershy?"

The yellow pegasus' gaze drifted to the ground. "Oh, sorry, I wasn't paying too close attention to the race. It looked like it was, um, a tie . . . but I was busy ordering a snack from Pinkie. Sorry I'm not helpful."

Dash groaned, but Applejack merely gave a smile and said, "That's okay, Fluttershy. I'll take Pinkie's word for it, she does just know things."

"Oh!" Pinkie said, "I got a Pinkie Sense today! Something good's supposed to happen."

"Oh, I wonder what that could mean?" Fluttershy wondered aloud. "I mean, no offense, Pinkie, but that's pretty vague."

"So is the tick that tells me it's my lucky day! I guess some of my senses are vague because it would otherwise ruin the surprise!"

Fluttershy smiled. "I suppose so," she giggled as she reached into her saddlebag and pulled out a few bits. "The carrot cupcake is two bits, right?"

"Yes siree bob!" Pinkie answered. She took the bits, finished placing the pastry in its bag, and handed it to Fluttershy who placed it safely in her saddlebag.

"Thank you, Pinkie," the pegasus said with a smile.

"No problem! Come back anytime, Fluttershy!"

The yellow pegasus bid Pinkie, Applejack and Rainbow Dash goodbye, and left the shop to return to her quaint little cottage.

Pinkie turned her attention to the two racers, who were still sitting on the floor in a light daze. "So, did you two just decided to race here?"

"Actually, Pinkie," Applejack answered, "I came here to place an order."

The baker perked up. "Oh, okay! Whatcha need?"

"I need to order two cakes for Apple Bloom's upcomin' birthday. One small, one extra large."

"Okie-dokie, no problem! What kind?"

"Apple Bloom says she wants to try strawberry this year."

Dash chuckled. "What? No apple cake?"

Applejack rolled her eyes. "This might come as a surprise to ya, but not everythin' we eat is made from apples."

The pegasus feinted surprise. "Really?"

"Of course not . . . sometimes we drink stuff made from apples, too."

Pinkie Pie laughed. "Is there anything specific you want done on the cake?"

"Jus' the usual 'Happy Birthday, Apple Bloom,' Pinkie," Applejack replied with a smile. "Y'all did the cakes last year and they were amazin', so jus' do what ya think looks best."

"Okay! Anything else?"

"Nope, I think we're good."

"Alright. You'll be back in . . . three days to pick up the first cake?"

"Yes, ma'am!"

"Perfect, I'll have it done by then!"

Applejack turned to Dash. "So, lunch at the Ponyville Café?"

The pegasus grinned. "Sounds good!"

Applejack and Dash said, 'goodbye' to Pinkie and made their way over to the café. The sun was directly overhead and cast a nice warmth over the dining area. A cool breeze gently blew, providing a nice balance. A few other customers shared the dining facility by the time the two ponies arrived and got a table for themselves.

Sitting down on the soft and comfortable seats made from hay, the waiter took their orders and soon came back with food—a daisy sandwich with apple juice for Applejack, and some hay fries and soda for Dash. The two friends began digging in immediately, enjoying the food, the sunny day, and each other's company.

Dash took a sip from her drink before saying, "So, Applejack, that stuff you said the other day was really true, right?"

Applejack grew a light blush, but took a deep breath and moved forward. "Yes, Dash . . . that was the truth."

The pegasus raised an eyebrow. "You hesitated."

The farmer looked down at her plate. "Well, it isn't somethin' ya jus' say in a casual conversation, Dash."

Dash grinned. "True. At least we know now."

"Yeah," Applejack replied managing a weak smile, deciding to take a sip of her juice.

"Well, what do you want to do about it? Do you want to be fillyfriends?"

Applejack practically choked on her drink at Dash's utter, relentless bluntness. She coughed and her face turned red in an obvious blush. Thankfully, as she quickly looked around, it appeared that nopony had overheard.

She turned back to the pegasus. "Dash!" she hissed.

Rainbow merely tilted her head. "What? You don't want to?"

Applejack shifted in her seat, ears twitching and clearly uncomfortable. "I didn't say that, I was talkin' 'bout y'all jus' sayin' it out loud like that!"

Dash perked up. "So you do?"

"It's not that easy, Dash!"

"Yes it is! It's a simple question: do you, or do you not, want to be fillyfriends. Here, I'll make it easy for you. You say, 'Yes, Dash, I'd love to be your fillyfriend—'"

"Dash!" Applejack hissed, very red in the face and nervously looking around. "Please, would y'all stop sayin' that out loud?!"

"What? 'Fillyfriend?'"

"Yes, now would ya please lower your voice?"

The pegasus was confused by how strange her friend was acting, but she could pick up on the fear that was written on her face, so she did what she was asked and lowered her voice. "What's the matter, Applejack? I thought you wanted to talk?"

Applejack sighed and said softly, "I do wanna talk, Dash, but I didn't think that y'all would be so blunt 'bout it here in public!"

"Well, what are we supposed to do, then?"

The orange mare thought for a minute. ". . . how 'bout y'all meet me later tonight?"

Dash raised an eyebrow. "Okay, where?

"The apple orchard. I know where we can go that nopony will be able to catch us and we can talk in private."

"Alright, fine. I can do that."

Applejack gave a sigh of relief. "Oh, thanks, Dash. I'm sorry 'bout this, but this is jus' so awkward for me."

"Don't worry about it, I can come by tonight."

The farmer and pegasus smiled at each other before finishing their meals. They made idle small talk, where Dash decided to make an effort of avoiding the topic of relationships. As much as she really wanted to talk about it, she knew in the back of her mind that she would get to do so tonight.

"I'll cover lunch," Applejack said standing up.

"You sure, Applejack?" Rainbow asked.

The mare gave her a warm smile. "Yeah, consider it a thank you for not pushin' the . . . uh, 'issue' here."

"No problem, Applejack," Dash replied with a grin, causing Applejack to blush a little.

After paying the bill, the two ponies left the café and stood outside, neither one really sure what to do next. Applejack sort of looked in general directions, unsure of what to say. She really wanted to do more with the pegasus, but knew it'd be risky to do so where they could easily be discovered by somepony.

Eventually she just settled on, "So . . . uh, I'll see ya . . . tonight?"

Dash snapped back to attention, having been distracted by various other things. "Oh, yeah, sure, Applejack."

"Um . . . yeah, okay . . . see ya tonight. Come at around . . . ten, or so."

With a final smile and wave, Dash took to the skies, leaving Applejack to walk back to the farm. Along the way, thoughts swam through her mind as she contemplated about tonight. She felt incredibly uneasy about the whole thing, but at least the thought of them being able to have some privacy eased her nerves as her feelings for the pegasus flowed in. Her tail gently swished from side-to-side as she happily walked along.

When she arrived back at the farm, Big Macintosh and Granny Smith were in the sitting room.

"Hey, sis," Big Macintosh greeted. "Y'all back from town?"

"Yup," Applejack replied. "I ordered the cakes and then had lunch with Dash at the café."

"Good job, Applejack," Granny Smith said warmly. "Y'all ready to celebrate Apple Bloom's birthday?"

"Sure am. I already got party decorations, so now we jus' have to wait for the cake. Caramel should be here by then, right?"

"He ought to unless somethin' holds him up," her brother answered.

"Alrighty then, jus' makin' sure. I sent that letter to him yesterday, so he ought to have it by now."

"It's gettin' close to four. Ya wanna start preparin' dinner?"

"Sure."

Big Macintosh got up and he and Applejack went into the kitchen. A few minutes later they were cutting up vegetables and boiling water to make soup. Applejack kneaded dough and coated it with flour, placing it in the oven to make fresh bread. Her brother placed freshly picked corn in a pot.

Soon, Apple Bloom came home and began her homework on the dinning room table while her older siblings continued to work on the food. When they were all done, Applejack left to get washed up before dinner. Dirty and sweaty from the day, it felt good to finally take a nice, warm bath. Truth be told, she was primarily doing it so she wouldn't look filthy in front of Dash, something she ordinarily wouldn't have really cared about before. What was happening to her?

Dinner was a rather informal event, with everypony talking and enjoying hot soup, warm bread and butter, steaming corn-on-the-cob and Big Macintosh's homemade apple cider. Apple Bloom chatted about her day at school, along with her daily adventure as part of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Apparently, Scootaloo kept insisting on rather daring ventures, so she and Sweetie Belle had to practically tie her down to get her to do something that wouldn't endanger their lives.

It was always enjoyable to hear her stories, at least for Applejack, because they always reminded her of when she was a young filly, ready to explore and challenge the world. Now, she was a young mare tied to her farm and her work, but loving it all the same. To be that carefree again, though, Applejack couldn't help but wonder what she would do if she could be afforded the same thing once more.

After dinner, the orange mare retreated to her room. It wouldn't be long before the rest of her family went to bed. They always went to bed early so they could get up early, it had been that way as far back as she could remember. A couple of hours later, when the house was quiet, she opened her door and slowly crept downstairs.

As she had expected, everypony else was asleep, or at least in their rooms, so Applejack was able to sneak outside without a problem. Princess Luna had already brought out the moon and stars, so it was rather easy to see, all things considered. A very cool breeze wafted along, accenting the ghostly-white glow that everything acquired in the moonlight.

It was about ten minutes before Applejack heard the soft flutter of wings, and she turned around to see Rainbow Dash standing a few feet away from her. Her eyes caught the light of the moon, and the orange mare could already feel her pulse pick up.

"Hi, Dash," Applejack said softly.

"Hey, Applejack," the pegasus replied in kind. "Any trouble getting out of the house?"

She shook her head. "Naw, they all go to their rooms at night, so gettin' out isn't much of a problem."

"So where are we going?"

"Follow me," the farmer said before moving in the direction of the orchard.

Leading the way, both ponies made their way away from the farmhouse. Going down one of the paths in the orchard, they disappeared amongst the trees, their hooves making soft thuds on the grass. The leaves caused the moonlight to stream in through tiny gaps, causing multiple areas of light and shadow one right after the other. They rustled softly in the breeze, making the moonlight dance and sputter on occasion, adding to the overall display that was the night.

About halfway to the Cutie Mark Crusaders' Clubhouse, Applejack instead led Dash to the right and along an invisible trail that only she seemed to know about. Still walking in silence, they moved on. Weaving in and out of trees, it was a few minutes more before the pegasus realized where Applejack was taking her.

It was a small clearing in the trees. The moonlight shone brightly through the gap in the treetops, casting a spotlight upon the ground, the grass shining and gently rustling in the wind. Even when flying above the orchard, Dash couldn't really recall if she had noticed this clearing or not. She must have, because it wasn't very small. Naw . . . must not have noticed it, is all.


"Wow, what is this place, Applejack?" Dash asked looking at the new surroundings.

"It's a clearin' I found years ago when I was a filly," Applejack replied, her expression one of fond reminiscence.

"Nopony else knows about it?"

"Well, obviously Big Macintosh knows 'bout it and such because he bucks the trees, but he or nopony else ever comes here. This used to be my secret place where I could be alone when I was younger."

"Why is it here?"

"If I remember correctly, back when my great-grandparents first started plantin' the apple orchard, they had set up camp right here. They simply planted around it. Granny Smith says that it was only afterwards they decided to build the farmhouse somewhere else."

"Oh, cool. Nopony ever bothered to fill the gap."

Applejack smiled. "Obviously not."

The two ponies smiled at each other, before Applejack looked away and said with a certain amount of nervousness, "So . . . uh, I guess we should do what we came here to do, huh?"

"Sounds good, Applejack," Dash answered. "But I have a question first: why were you so nervous back at the café?"

Applejack moved to the center of the clearing, and she sat down with Dash sitting across from her. "It wasn't like I didn't wanna talk, Dash . . . but I didn't want ya sayin' stuff like 'fillyfriend' out loud like that."

"Why?"

Applejack had to fight the urge to roll her eyes. "Because I don't want folks knowin' 'bout this, at least not yet."

"Doesn't your family know?"

The farmer gave Dash a frightened look. "Of course not! I could only imagine what they'd say if they found out I liked another mare."

The pegasus seemed a little surprised by that. "Wow, I thought they knew."

Applejack shook her head. "They don't, and I'm scared to death 'bout what might happen. All my life I thought I'd jus' fall in love with a stallion, get hitched, have a family. It came crashin' down the moment I began thinkin' that I liked other mares. It's not the norm, Dash."

"Duh, I know that," Dash scoffed. "But you know you like mares, so that's all there is to it!"

"Maybe for you, Dash," Applejack snapped. "But it's very different for my family. I'm not too sure 'bout Big Macintosh or Apple Bloom, but I know Granny Smith doesn't like it, nor do many of the other Apples."

"Well, just what are you supposed to do about it?"

"Y'all think that if I knew I wouldn't have done it by now?!"

"Well, do you like me or not?"

The orange mare was taken aback. "Y-Yes," she stammered. "I-I mean . . . I'm sure I do, Dash. I've been havin' feelin's for ya for a long time now. I . . . I can't explain it . . . and that's what scares me."

The pegasus was quite surprised to see Applejack like this. Scared, sounding helpless. She saw the farmer take off her hat and look away from her, sort of hiding behind her hat like a barrier, afraid to say much more. Rainbow didn't know why, but it made Applejack look adorable, especially in the moonlight. The way she fidgeted, her forming blush, and there was just something about her mane that caught her attention.

"I . . . had no idea you were so scared about this, Applejack," she said.

Applejack sighed. "I know, Dash, and I'm sorry I can't be like y'all and simply pony up to this prospect. I like ya. Know that. I jus' am not sure what to do right now, it's all so confusin' and strange and scary."

Applejack looked back at Dash and noticed that the pegasus was giving her a bit of a quizzical look, sort of tiling her head to the side.

"What, Dash?" she asked. "Whatcha lookin' at?"

"I . . . I don't know, actually," Rainbow replied. "I . . . just like the way your mane looks in the light."

The orange mare faced Dash directly. "Ya do?"

"Yeah, I do . . . hey, Applejack, can I ask you a question?"

"Shoot, what else are we supposed to do out here?"

"What do you look like with your mane and tail down?"

Applejack stared at the pegasus, stunned a little by the question. ". . . what?"

"Your mane and tail, I've never see them down. Hay, I doubt anypony has ever really seen them down before. I want to know what you look like without the hair bands."

"Y'all are kiddin' me."

"No, really, Applejack! I'm curious."

"Let me get this straight: I'm the one pony out of our friends who actually wears clothes . . . and y'all want to see me with them off?"

"Yup."

Applejack just sat there in amazement. Since when did anypony care about seeing her without her hair bands? Seriously, where did Dash get that from? Then again, it wasn't like she would be doing Dash or herself any favors by doing something otherwise. So, with a little hesitation, she place her hat down on the ground, took her mane and tail bands, and then pulled them off.

Dash could only stare at Applejack. Once the bands were off, her mane opened up and fell over her shoulder, draping over it and curling slightly at the ends. Her tail became splayed out on the ground, also ending a little curled. The way they caught the moonlight was incredible. The shine was soft and delicate, giving it the appearance of a light, silky gold. Dash liked it. A lot.

"You look beautiful, Applejack!" Dash said in awe.

The orange mare was surprised by the comment. She never got many compliments about her looks, especially once she met Rarity. "Ya really think so?"

"Totally! It looks so soft."

Dash walked over to Applejack to get a closer look. The individual strands all melded together into a sea of beautiful, blonde hair. It was absolutely captivating.

Applejack noticed how much Dash was entranced by her, so she decided to take the next initiative. "Y'all can touch it, if ya want."

The pegasus brought one hoof up to Applejack's mane and let it fall and dance over it. It was so bizarre. There had been times when she had felt Applejack's mane before, there were times where they had challenged each other in wrestling and such. But this time felt like a completely different experience. It was incredibly soft, and Dash couldn't help but smile at Applejack.

"Thanks, Applejack," she said taking a step back. "I like the way you look with your mane and tail down."

"Y'all can't be serious," the earth pony replied in disbelief.

"No, I think you look nice."

"Well, don't expect me to jus' quit wearin' them," she said with a smile.

Dash chuckled. "No, I wouldn't expect you to."

There was an awkward silence that followed. Neither pony could figure out what to say or do next. Dash looked at Applejack and stared at her deep, green eyes. Without saying a word, the pegasus slowly leaned forward. Applejack saw what was happening, and despite the fact that she was scared—her mind racing and her heart pounding in her chest—she did nothing to stop Dash from lightly pressing her lips to her own.

She wasn't sure how long the kiss was, she was too busy reeling in the flurry of feelings flying through her. It was difficult to describe, but it was soft, it was warm . . . and she knew she liked it. When Dash broke away, both were speechless.

Rainbow found her voice first, "So . . . did you like it?"

Applejack sat with her mouth open in amazement, and could only manage a simple, hushed, ". . . yes."

Dash smiled and leaned forward again for another kiss. This time, it was longer and more definite. It was unlike anything either of them had experienced before, and they enjoyed every second of it.

"Thank ya, Rainbow," Applejack said softly when they were done. "I . . . really don't know what to say."

"Say you'll be my fillyfriend, Applejack," Dash said with a small smile. "I like this, too."

Applejack thought for a long while about what to do. She was so scared about others finding out, but the pegasus across from her had just made her feel so happy, so special, so . . . she couldn't even fully describe it. She desperately wanted to be with Dash, so it was time to make up her mind.

". . . alright, Dash, I'll be your fillyfriend," she said finally. "But . . . I jus' can't stand the thought of anypony else findin' out right now. Not our friends, and certainly not my family."

"Then we'll keep it a secret," Rainbow offered. "We can spend time together when we can, and nopony will ever be the wiser. Deal?"

The earth pony smiled. "Deal."

They kissed again, and then made their way back through the orchard to the farmhouse. They stopped short of coming out from behind the trees to kiss one more time, and then Dash bid her goodnight and quietly flew off into the night. Applejack snuck back into her home and back into her room as quietly as she could. Before settling into bed, she looked out the window.

The stars were shining bright tonight. Thousands upon thousands of little white points in the sky. So tiny, so seemingly insignificant . . . but they shined so brightly and always stayed lit. They were home . . . and for the first time in over a year, Applejack finally felt that maybe, just maybe, she could start finding her own way home again.